


Summer's Outing

by lost_spook



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-20
Updated: 2012-06-20
Packaged: 2017-11-08 04:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/439091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_spook/pseuds/lost_spook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor's not an easy person to surprise, but Tegan has always been stubborn and persistent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Summer's Outing

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Freya, as a birthday ficlet. Any passing facts about cricketers come courtesy of Wikipedia.

“Tegan,” said the Doctor, without reaction as she emerged in a summery, lavender Edwardian frock, playing with the hat. “At last.”

She gave him a stare. “You try putting this on without help.”

“I _did_ offer,” said Turlough. “You told me to get lost.”

Tegan glared at him. “Doctor, I don’t have to wear the hat, do I? I’ll never fit through the door. Look at it!” She held out the offending article.

The Doctor beamed at her; never more pleased than when delivering petty bad news. “I’m afraid you wouldn’t be a lady without one, and we can’t have that, can we? You did ask to visit this era, after all.”

“Just because I’m curious doesn’t mean I want to wear a flower arrangement on my head!”

*

“Tegan,” said the Doctor, who had been weighing this in his mind for some time over the course of the day. It wasn’t possible that she could have known exactly what it was she was requesting; or that she and not Turlough had meddled with the co-ordinates with the aid of the TARDIS manual – was it? “Did you know about this?”

She turned. “Don’t look so shocked. I thought: what do you get someone who’s got the whole universe to play about with, and doesn’t really go in much for things, anyway? All it took was reading one of those biographies you’ve got in your library. July 1906 – one of the best of his later matches, the book said. That part was simple. You’re not an easy person to surprise, you know.”

“Well, don’t do it too often,” returned the Doctor, finding scolding safer ground than thanking her for the afternoon of cricket, and the encounter with W. G. Grace, no less. “The TARDIS controls are extremely sensitive - anything could have happened."

"You don't have to tell me that."

"However, I… ah… appreciate the thought – and they say that’s what counts, don’t they?”

“More than that,” said Tegan, unimpressed. “I had to wear this ridiculous outfit, and if you’d ever tried it, you’d be a lot more grateful.”

The Doctor smiled at her and crooked his arm for her. “Yes, I’m sure I would. Now, where do you think Turlough can have got to?”

“Oh, he’ll turn up,” said Tegan, putting her gloved hand through his proffered arm. “Worse luck.”

“It was a shame about the Darneth forces interrupting the match, of course.”

“I can’t think how your books didn’t mention that.”

“It’s amazing what they miss out. All the most interesting things, in my opinion.”

“Anyway, I didn’t think he lived up to his reputation, although he’s not bad when it comes to clobbering giant reptiles over the head with his bat. How about you?”

“Tegan!” said the Doctor, stopping in shock at this heresy. “ _Not live up to his reputation_? You’re talking about W. G. Grace! There are no comparisons, at least, not for another couple of millennium – and even then -”

“I bet Allan Border could have given him a run for his money.”

“Nonsense, Tegan!”

“Maybe I couldn’t see past the dratted hat, then.”

“There is one thing,” he added, as they spotted Turlough walking in the opposite direction, slinking towards the TARDIS with a scowl on his face. “You’re wrong, you know, Tegan: you rarely fail to surprise me.”


End file.
